MADE IN DAGENHAM casting announced and new track released

Stage Entertainment, Glass Half Full Productions and Just for Laughs Theatricals are delighted to announce further casting for MADE IN DAGENHAM, which opens at the Adelphi Theatre on Wednesday 5th November, with previews from Thursday 9th October. Based on the hit British film, this new musical comedy will star international stage and screen actress GEMMA ARTERTON in the lead role of Rita O’Grady, with ADRIAN DER GREGORIAN as her husband Eddie.

Joining Gemma and Adrian are Steve Furst playing US Ford Executive Mr Tooley, Mark Hadfield as Harold Wilson, Sophie-Louise Dann playing Barbara Castle, Sophie Stanton as Beryl, Heather Craney as Clare, Sophie Isaacs as Sandra, Julius D’Silva playing Ford Dagenham boss Mr Hopkins and Naomi Frederick as his wife Lisa.

Also joining the Made in Dagenham cast are Naana Agyei-Ampadu, Thomas Aldridge, Kate Coysten, Christopher Howell, Scott Garnham, Ian Jervis, Paul Kemble, Emma Lindars, Jo Napthine, Tracey Penn, Gemma Salter, Gareth Snook, Rachel Spurrell, Emily Squibb, Karli Vale and Rene Zagger.

Director Rupert Goold said: “We have in this show some of the best original music around and a cracking script and to know that it will be performed by this multi-talented, wonderful, diverse, rowdy bunch of actors makes me keener than ever to get into the rehearsal room.”

Essex 1968. Like millions of other working women, each morning Rita O’Grady is just trying to get her husband out of bed, get the kids off to school and get to work at the factory on time. But life is about to change forever when it’s announced that the girls in the stitching room of Ford’s Dagenham car plant will have their pay grade dropped to ‘unskilled’.

Quickly drawing on a strength she never knew she had, Rita leads her friends in a battle against the might of Ford and the corruption of the Union supposed to protect them. As the girls’ inspiring journey gets bigger than anyone could have imagined, the pressure is too much for some, but can Rita keep up the fight and the happy home she’s worked so hard for?

Funny, touching and timeless, Made in Dagenham shows how ordinary people can do extraordinary things when they stand together.

Directed by multi-award winning Rupert Goold (Artistic Director of the Almeida Theatre), Made in Dagenham has a book by Richard Bean (writer of the global hit play One Man, Two Guvnors, The Heretic at the Royal Court, England People Very Nice at the National), music by BAFTA and Grammy award winning composer David Arnold (James Bond series, Independence Day, Hot Fuzz, Sherlock and Little Britain) and lyrics from Olivier Award winner Richard Thomas (Jerry Spring The Opera, The Royal Opera’s Anna Nicole and Shoes at Sadler’s Wells). Olivier Award-winner Bunny Christie (A Streetcar Named Desire, The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time) will design with choreography by Aletta Collins (Awakenings by Rambert Dance Company, His Dark Materials at the National Theatre).

Stage Entertainment is one of the world’s largest theatrical producers and venue owners, with bases across Europe and in New York. Headed by Rebecca Quigley, the UK team’s West End credits include Hairspray at the Shaftesbury Theatre, I Can’t Sing! at the London Palladium, Singin’ in the Rain at the Palace Theatre and Sister Act at the London Palladium, along with national tours of Oliver!, Disney’s High School Musical 1 & 2, Hairspray, Sister Act and Singin’ in the Rain. The company also co-produces the annual arena tour, Strictly Come Dancing Live! and is currently working on the forthcoming UK and Ireland tour of Anything Goes with Sheffield Theatres.

Glass Half Full Productions is a London-based production company, managed by Gareth Lake and Adam Blanshay. UK credits include: I Can’t Sing, Ghost Stories, Ghosts, and Mojo. Broadway credits include the recent Globe transfer of Twelfth Night/Richard III.

Just for Laughs Theatricals is a subsidiary of Just for Laughs, the largest comedy producers in the world. The company creates major festival events in Montreal, Chicago, Toronto and Sydney. Theatre credits include the Tony-Award winning Kinky Boots and current Broadway productions of Rocky and Bullets Over Broadway.

Made in Dagenham is based on motion picture of the same name produced by Number 9 Films.

Adelphi Theatre
Strand, London WC2R ONS

Evenings: Monday to Saturday 7.30pm
Matinees: Wednesday and Saturday 3.00pm

Performances
Previews: Thursday 9th October to Tuesday 4th November
Opening Night: Wednesday 5th November 2014 at 7.00pm

Page updated 18th October 2014